Hinge



y 1 1940. s. B. ATWOOD 2,200,250

- amen Filed March 15, 1937' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z J! //////////////////////%5 mm llll May 14, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 14, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 15,

19 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hinges for the doors of motor vehicles.

Motor vehicle doors are commonly equipped with pintle type hinges. Due to the curvature of the bodies and the amount of deviation from standard body specifications encountered in regular quantity production, there has been considerable difficulty in mounting these hinges, and it has been customary to apply forked bars or other tools to the hinges and bend them enough to center the doors and align them relative to one another and to the body. Such bending has been tolerated because no other way of meeting the problem has suggested itself, although it is apparent that the pintles were thereby thrown out of alignment, resulting in the doors not opening and closing as they should. Also it is generally conceded that most of the wear on pintles, and the consequent play and door rattling, is directly traceable to this practice of bending the hinges to make the door fit. It is, therefore, the principal object of my invention to provide a pair of ball-and-socket type hinges of improved design and construction on each door of a motor vehicle, whereby to secure easy operation of the door without any of the aforesaid difficulties in the mounting of the door on the body, whatever bending or twisting is necessary for door centering and alignment having no effect whatever on the easy working of the doors, because the individual balls working universally in the sockets provide point suspensions, and the two points at the two hinges determine the hinging axis of the door.

Other important objects of my invention are:

1. To provide an exposed ball-and-socket type hinge in which the socket member is made in two sections, namely, an outer main section formed from one piece of sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion and an angular projecting portion terminating in a rounded socket portion, said outer section being of channel-shaped crosssection throughout, and an inner section consisting of an attaching shank portion cooperating with the attaching shank portion of the main 45 section, and an angular outer end portion terminating in a concave seat portion cooperating with the socket portion of the main section to complete the socket and retain the ball head of the other hinge member therein;

2. To provide an exposed ball-and-socket type hinge in which the socket member is of sectional construction, as just described, and wherein the inner sections angular end portion is normally at a smaller angle to the attaching shank portion than when this section is finally assembled 1937, Serial No. 130,864

in the outer section, the attaching shank portion of the inner section normally standing in spaced relation to the attaching shank portion of the outer section but being adapted to be forced toward the latter while fulcruming on its angular end whereby to place the ball head under a desired spring pressure, and the attaching portions being clinched together permanently with the inner section in this slightly distorted condition, thus maintaining the ball head under a constant spring tension, for the purposes previously enumerated, without the use of extraneous spring means;

3. To provide an exposed ball-and-socket type hinge in which the socket member is of sectional construction similar to that just described but having the inner section provided with an angular end portion cupped and slotted to enclose half of the ballhead and retain it in the socket, the inner section being suitably secured in place by swedging the edges of the socket portion of the main section over the edges of the cupped portion thereof, and the inner section being also preferably longitudinally ribbed to provide reenforcement;

4. To provide an exposed ball-and-socket type hinge in which the socket member is of sectional construction and embodies between the sections, in a chamber communicating with the socket proper, absorbent material for retaining lubricant to lubricate the ball head, whereby to make for easy operation and minimize wear;

5. To provide an .exposed ball-and-socket type hinge in which the inner or ball head member is equipped with a cover extending from the outside of the body outwardly over the socket portion of the other member, whereby to provide a completely enclosed hinge for neatness in appearance and protection of the ball and socket.

These and other objects of the invention will appear as reference is made in the following description to the accompanying drawings, where- Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through a ball-and-sooket hinge made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 1a is a fragmentary plan view of this hinge;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1, i1- lustrating how the sections are permanently clinched together;

Fig. 3 is a similar section of a modified construction;

Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, a central longitudinal section and a transverse section through another hinge showing the use of a cross-pin for retaining the ball head, Fig. 5 being taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6 and 7 are two views of still another hinge showing a different form of sectional construction in the socket member and illustrating also a preferred method of attaching the ball head member;

Fig. 8 is a central longitudinal section through still another hinge, illustrating a further modiflcation of the spring tensioning means for the ball head;

Figs. 9 to 11 are three views of a hinge similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but showing a cover carried on the ball head member and enclosing the open side ofthe exposed portion of the socket member, Fig. 11 being a section on the line of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side view of an automobile showing a door thereof equipped with exposed ball-and-socket type hinges in accordance with the present invention.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, 2| designates the door, and 22 the pillar, but it will soon be evident that it is immaterial whether the socket member 23e and ball head member 24c of my improved ball-and-socket hinge are mounted on the door and pillar, respectively, or vice versa. The ball head member 24c is formed in one piece to provide a ball head 25c on the end of a flattened attaching shank 26. The socket member 23c is of sectional construction, consisting of an outer or main section 49 generally similar to the socket member 2311 of Figs. 4 and 5, and an inner or ball head retaining section 50. The ball head 25c of the hinge member 24c engages the socket 28c throughout approximately 180. The inner section 5|) has an attaching shank portion 5| fitting in the channel shaped attaching shank portion 30 of the outer section 49 between the flanges ll. The angular outer end 52 of the inner section 50 is bent trough shaped, as appears at 53, and has its extremity bent to concave spheroidal shape, as at 54, for abutment with the ball head 25c, whereby to retain the ball head in the socket in a somewhat similar manner as the cross-pin 48 hereinafter described. However, in this case, it will be noticed that the attaching shank portion 5| is indicated in dotted lines in its normal relation to the angular end portion 52, and in the assembling of the hinge, the shank portion 5|, which is resting on the shank portion 30 only at the fulcrum point 55, is forced toward the shank 30 enough to place the desired amount of spring tension on the angular end portion 52, whereupon the flanges 3| of the shank 30 are pressed inwardly between dies to clamp or clinch the shanks 30 and 5| together in permanently assembled relation, thus keeping the ball head under constant spring tension to eliminate play and afford an automatic take-up for wear, without the use of extraneous spring means to accomplish this. Furthermore, if the ball head has been finished reasonably smooth but the socket parts are relatively rough sheet metal stampings, this construction makes sufficient allowance for the ball head wearing into it; that is to say, it is equivalent to a lapping action in which the roughness of the socket parts and such roughness as still remains on the ball head at the time of assembly are worn smooth soon after the hinge is in service, but the allowance for such wear is more than enough to prevent play being developed and the lapped surfaces give a long lived easy working bearing. The assembled sections 43 and 50 have registering bolt holes 35 provided therein to receive bolts or screws 36 to fasten the socket member He to the edge of the door as shown, other holes being provided in the shank 26 of the ball head member 24a to receive bolts or screws 34 to fasten the same to the pillar. Reenforcing anchor plates 38 and 39 are shown in the door 2| and pillar 22 and these are provided with tapped holes to receive the screws or bolts. I may also provide a hole' 56 in the attaching shank portion of section 49 into which a dowel projection 51, which may be formed on the other attaching shank portion 5| at the time the flanges 3| are bent inwardly, will enter in the assembling of the hinge, so as to keep the sections 49 and 50 located in the proper relation to one another. In other words, the dowel 51 prevents relative endwise movement, and the flanges 3| serve to clamp the section 50 in a distorted condition maintaining spring tension on the ball head. While the two shanks 30 and 5| are shown in abutment, it should be understood that that is not necessarily the case in actual practice, because the shank 5| will be brought toward the shank 30 only to the extent required to place a predetermined tension on the ball head whereupon the flanges 3| Will be pressed inwardly to grip the shank 5| to hold the parts in the desired relationship permanently. While the shank 5| is shown in Fig. 2 as fiat, it may be channel shaped like the shank 5| shown in Fig. 3, in which case the shank 30' will have wider flanges 3| to come flush with the tops of the flanges of the shank 5|. This double flanged construction would obviously have greater strength and rigidity, but the construction of Figs. 1 and 2 will or dinarily sufiice so far as that is concerned.

It should be clear from this description that I have provided an extremely practical form of ball-and-socket hinge for the doors of motor vehicles, and one which can be produced at low cost so as to be competitive with the old style pintle hinges. This hinge lends itself to very easy assembling on doors and pillars of cars as now constructed. Two such hinges are shown at A and Bin Fig. 12 provided on the door 2|, and with reasonable accuracy in the location of the tapped holes in the plates 38 and 39, the door will fit fairly accurately and operate easily as soon as the hinges are fastened in place. However, the workman in the assembly line at the automobile factory may use a tool to bend or twist the outer ball end of the ball head member of either or both hinges to bring the ball 25c on either or both hinges in a difierent relation to the door 2| than was true in its initial position, whereby to accordingly adjust the door in the door opening in the centering of the door in the opening and aligning the door with reference to the body. Whatever bending or twisting of the hinges is necessary to secure good door alignment and centering cannot aifect the easy operation of the hinges, because the ball heads 25c swiveled in the sockets 28a for universal movement each determines a single point suspension, and it is obvious that the two points thus fixed are sufllcient to determine the hinging axis of the door in a plane outwardly spaced from the curved outside surfaces of the door and body portions. The hinge axis is located so that there is ample clearance between the door and the curved outside of the body. Hinges of this construction will not bind in any position of opening of the door nor develop play and give rise to door rattling like the old style pintle hinges, because, as stated before, most of the hinge trouble was due to misalignment resulting from bending the hinges to produce door alignment. Furthermore, these ball and socket hinges afford a much lower unit bearing pressure than the old style pintle hinges, so that wear is greatly reduced and longer life assured. The present construction, it should be obvious, permits easy lubrication and, if desired, a suiiiclent amount of hard grease can be applied to the ball head 25a at the time of assembling the hinge to last indefinitely and always assure easy operation.

In passing, it will be noticed that a chamber 58 is left between the angular outer end Me of the main section 49 and the angular end 52 of the other section 50, and that this chamber communicates with the socket and the ball head therein through a passage 59 provided by beveling off the edge of the extremity 54 of the section 50. Absorbent material 60 is placed between the sections 49 and 50 in the assembling of the hinge and fills this chamber 58, with a portion projecting through the passage 59 for wiping contact with the ball head. If desired, this absorbent material may be saturated with lubricant sufficient to take care of the lubrication of the hinge indefinitely without the addition of other lubricant from time to time, but an oil hole 6! will ordinarily be provided in the angled end portion 52 of the section 50 through which additional oil can be supplied to the absorbent material.

Figs. 4 and 5 show another hinge using a crosspin 48 on oneside of the socket 28d to retain the ball head 25d of the hinge member 24d in place in the socket, The cross-pin isneeded because the Walls 32d diverge relative to one another from the socket 28d so that the ball head contacts the socket only through approximately 180, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The cross-pin 48 is entered with a. drive or press fit through registering'holes 49 in walls 32d and has its ends-ground off flush with the exterior of the hinge member so that it will not show on the finished hinge.

The hinge of Figs. 6 and '7 has a socket member 23f, also of sectional construction similarly as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but in this case the socket 281' is approximately hemispherical and has an annular shoulder 62 on'which the annularly flanged edge 63 of the socket portion 54' on the other section 50 is arranged to seat and be secured by the swedging over of the annular lip 64 surrounding the shoulder 62. The ball head 25 is, of course, retained in the socket between the sections, and a diametrical slot 65 is provided in the socket portion 54 of the section 50' through which the attaching shank portion 26 of the other hinge member 24) extends with ample working clearance, as'indicated in Fig. 7. A longitudinal rib 66 is formed in the section 50' reaching to the hemispherical socket portion 54, as shown, and this rib affords the desired amount of reenforcement to make the hinge member 23f substantially as strong and rigid as the socket members of the other hinges previously described, if not more so. If desired, a leaf spring 61 may be provided in a recess 68 formed in the hemispherical socket portion 28f,, and this spring tending normally to straighten will place the ball head 25f under constant spring tension to eliminate play. The hinge member 24 is shown as provided with a shoulder 69 on the attaching shank portion 26 for abutment with one side of the channel shaped reenforcing member 10 in the pillar 22 through which the shank is passed, as shown. A nut H threaded on the projecting threaded end 12 of the shank --26' bears against the channel member from the opposite side, and, when tightened, holds the hinge member 24 securely attached to the pillar. Of course, while this member 10 is described as provided on the ball head 25g but merely serves as an abutment for a coiled compression spring 13 holding a bearing block 14 in engagement with the ball head. The block 14 is conformed on its periphery to fit the curvature of the inside of the angular end portion 29g, and has a concave spheroidal face 15 for abutment with the ball head. Thus, the ball head is'held in place in the socket 28g and at the same time maintained under the desired spring tension to eliminate play.

The hinge shown in Figs. 9 to '11 is like that of Fig. 1, except that a cover piece 18 is provided on the outer end of the hinge member i41 to close thespace between the angular outer end portion 29h of the other hinge member 23h and the outside of the body, and also provide a spheroidal shaped cover 11 to enclose and work freelv over the outside of the socket 28h. A screw 18 entered through a lug 19 on the cover piece 16 and threaded in a hole in the outer end of the hinge member 24h behind the ball head 25h, serves to hold the cover piece in place. In this way, the exposed portion of the hinge is entirely enclosed for goodappearance and also protection of the ball and socket from entry of dirt and grit or the weather. a

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. A ball-and-socket hinge for mountin a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body. and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion adapted to be secured to the other of said door and body and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, the channelshaped outer end portion having its extremity further conformed so that the trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof provide a semispherical socket to receive and partially retain the ball head. and supplementary means on the socket member serving by engagement with the ball head to positively retain the same in the socket.

2. A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body, and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion adapted to be secured to the other of said door and body and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, the channel-shaped outer end portion having its extremity further conformed so that the trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof provide a semispherical socket to receive and partially retain the ball head, and a ball head retaining member secured to the attaching shank of the socket member and extending outwardly therefrom and engaging behind the ball head to positively retain the same in the socket.

3. A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body, and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion adapted to be secured to the other of said door and body and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, the channel-shaped outer end portion having its extremit, further conformed so that the trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof provide a semispherical socket to receive and partially retain the ball head, the attaching shank of the socket member being also formed to channelshaped cross-section whereby to provide opposed longitudinal flanges integral and coextensive with the opposed flanges of the angular end portion of said member, and a ball head retaining member comprising a shank portion disposed between said longitudinal flanges and an angular outer end having its extremity engaging the ball head to positively retain the same in the socket.

4. A construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein the retaining member normally rests on the attaching shank of the hinge member on afulcrum point formed at the junction of the outer end of the shank portion and inner end of the angular end portion thereof, the shanks of said members being normally in spaced angular relationship, and wherein the shanks are arranged to be forced together, whereby the angular end portion of the retaining member imposes spring pressure on the ball head to eliminate play between the parts.

5. A construction as set forth in claim 3, wherein the retaining member normally rests on the attaching shank of the hinge member on a fulcrum point formed at the junction of the outer end of the shank portion and inner end of the angular end portion thereof, the shanks of said members being normally in spaced angular relationship, the shanks being arranged to be forced together, whereby the angular end portion of the retaining member imposes spring pressure on the ball head to eliminate play between the parts, and wherein the opposed flanges of the attaching shank of the socket member are arranged to be bent inwardly to permanently clamp the shank portion of the retaining member in an adjusted position.

6. A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body, and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion adapted to be secured to the other of said door and body and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, the channel-shaped outer end portion having its extremity further conformed so that the trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof provide a semispherical socket to receive and partially retain the ball head, a ball head retaining member secured to the attaching shank of the socket member and extending outwardly therefrom and engaging behind the ball head to positively retain the same in the socket, the retaining member being in spaced relation to the angular outer end portion of the socket member whereby to provide a chamber therebetween in communication with the socket, and lubricant absorbent material in said chamber.

7. A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body, and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion adapted to be secured to the other of said door and body and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, the channel-shaped outer end portion having its extremity further conformed so that the trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof provide a semi-spherical socket to receive and partially retain the ball head, and a resilient member secured under tension to the socket member and engaging the ball head for the double purpose of retaining the same positively in the socket and maintaining the same under spring tension.

8. A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body, and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion adapted to be secured to the other of said door and body and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, the channel-shaped outer end portion having its extremity further conformed so that the trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof provide a semispherical socket to receive and partially retain the ball head, a resilient member secured under tension to the socket member and engaging the ball head for the double purpose of retaining the same positively in the socket and maintaining the same under spring tension, and lubricant absorbent means in communication with the socket and retained on the socket member by the resilient member.

9. A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion 7 whereby to space the ball head a predetermined door and body and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, the channel shaped outer end portion having its extremity further conformed so that the trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof provide a semi-spherical socket to re ceive and partially retain the ball head, a bearing block having a concave face for engaging the diametrically opposite side of the ball head with respect to the semi-spherical socket to retain the same in the semispherical socket, and means for supporting said block in position on the socket member.

10. A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body, and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion adapted to be secured to the other of said door and body and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, the channel-shaped outer end portion having its extremity further conformed so that the trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof provide a semi-spherical socket to receive and partially retain .the ball head, a bearing block having a concave face for engaging the diametrically opposite side of the ball head with respect to the semi-spherical socket to retain the same in the semispherical socket, and resilient means for holding said block in place whereby both to retain the ball head in the socket and maintain the same under spring tension.

11. A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body, and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion adapted to be secured to the other of said door and body and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped crosssection, the channel-shaped outer end portion having its extremity further conformed so that the trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof provide a semispherical socket to receive and partially retain the ball head, a bearing block having a concave face for engaging the diametrically opposite side of the ball head with respect to the semi-spherical socket to retain the same in the semispherical socket, a retaining member secured to the attaching shank of the socket member, and spring means acting between the retaining member and said block to hold the black in place and thereby retain the ball head in the socket while maintaining the ball head under spring tension to eliminate play and consequent rattle.

12. A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body, and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide a channel shaped attaching shank portion adapted to be secured to the other of said door and body and an angular outer end portion also formed to generally channel-sh'aped cross-section with its opposed flanges coextensive with the flanges of the shank portion, the channel-shaped outer end portion having its extremity further conformed so that the trough of the channel and the opposed flanges thereof define a substantially semispherical socket receiving the ball head therein, and another member disposed between the opposed flanges of the shank portion of said socket member and retained in place therebetween by bending of said flanges inwardly toward said member, said member extending outwardly and engaging behind the ball head to retain the same in the socket.

13. A construction as set forth in claim 12, wherein the ball head retaining member is formed from sheet metal and has its outer eX-' tremity bent to define a rounded concave seat for engagement with the ball head.

14. A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body, and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion adapted to be secured to the other of said door and body and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, the channel shaped outer end portion being conformed in the trough thereof at the extremity to provide a substantially semispherical socket for reception of half of the ball head, and a ball head retaining member secured to the socket member and conformed to provide a matching substantially semispherical socket portion to receive the other half of the ball head and thereby completely enclose and retain the same, the last mentioned socket portion being slotted for extension therethrough of the neck of the ball head member.

15, A ball-and-socket hinge for mounting a door on a vehicle body comprising a ball head member having an attaching shank adapted to be secured to one of said door and body and a ball head projecting outwardly therefrom and connected with the shank by a neck portion whereby to space the ball head a predetermined distance outwardly with respect to the outside of the body, and a socket member formed from sheet metal to provide an attaching shank portion and an angular outer end portion formed to generally channel-shaped cross-section, the channel-shaped outer end portion being conformed in the trough thereof at the extremity to provide a substantially semispherical socket for reception of half of the ball head, and a ball head retaining member conformed to substantially semispherical shape to receive and retain the other half of the ball head, said member being slotted for extension from the socket of the neck of the ball head member, and said retaining member being secured to the socket member annularly with respect to the socket.

16. As an article of manufacture, a sheet metal socket member for a ball-and-socket hinge comprising a two-piece body,'one of which pieces is formed to provide a fiat attaching shank por-.- tion and an angular channel-shaped extension integral therewith opening at its outer end into a ball socket portion which is adapted to receive a ball head carried on a shank, the other piece being formed to provide a flat attaching shank portion superimposed on the first shank portion, and an angular extension adapted to be received in the aforesaid channel-shaped extension and having the outer end thereof disposed in the open side of the ball socket portion and adapted to retain the ball head therein, said socket portion and ball head retaining extension being adapted to afford clearance for the aforesaid ball head shank to permit approximately 90 relative movement between the ball head and socket portion.

17. As an article of manufacture, a sheet metal socket member for a ball-and-socket hinge comprising a two-piece body, one of which pieces is formed to provide an attaching shank portion and a channel-shaped extension integral there with and terminating in a socket portion, the channel extension being of tapered form longitudinally widening away from the socket portion, and the other piece being formed to provide an attaching shank portion superimposed on the first shank portion, and an extension integral therewith extending lengthwise of the channelshaped extension of the first piece and terminating on one side -,of the socket portion, the two pieces being adapted to be secured together by their shank portions.

18. As an article of manufacture, a sheet metal socket member for a ball-and-socket hinge comprising a two-piece body, one of which pieces is formed to provide a flat attaching shank portion and an angular channel-shaped extension integral therewith and terminating in a socket portion adapted to receive a ball head therein carried on a shank, the socket portion having enclosing flanges which are a continuation of the side walls of the channel-shaped extension adapted to enclose and retain approximately half of the circumference of the ball head in the socket portion, and the other piece being formed to provide a hat attaching shank portion adapted to be secured tothe first attaching shank portion in superimposed relation, and an angular extension integral therewith adapted to be received in the channel-shaped extension of the first piece and terminating alongside the socket in a transverse portion projecting toward the channel-shaped extension of the first piece and formed arcuate for engagement with a portion of the circumference of the ball head so as to prevent displacement of the ball head from the socket portion.

19. As an article of manufacture, a sheet metal socket member for a ball-and-socket hinge comprising a two-piece body, one of which pieces is formed to provide an attaching shank portion and a channel-shaped extension integral therewith and terminating in a socket portion, the channel extension being of tapered form longitudinally widening away from the socket portion, and the other piece being formed to provide an attaching shank portion superimposed on the first shank portion, and an extension integral therewith extending lengthwise of the channelshaped extension of the first piece and terminating on one side of the socket portion, the attaching shank portion of the first piece being of channel-shaped cross-section whereby to provide longitudinal flanges on opposite sides thereof, and the other shank portion being received between said flanges and being adapted to be frictionally secured by engagement of said flanges with the edges thereof prior to the fastening of the socket member to a hinge support.

SETH B. ATWOOD.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. I Patent No. 2,200,2 0. May 11;, 191m.

em B. ATWOOD.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5', first column, line 70, claim 11, for the word "black" read --b1ock-; page 5, second column, line 66, olaimlj, after the syllable "tion" and before "and" insert --ada.pted to be secured to the other of said door and body-; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25rd day of July, A. D. 191w.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

